Richard Mille

Richard Mille Watches

When you think about luxury timepieces, Rolex and Cartier probably come to mind. However, those in the most affluent circles may suggest another watch brand: Richard Mille. This extravagant and unique line of exclusive Swiss watches first hit the market in 2001 and have been dazzling the world ever since. Richard Mille started his watchmaking career in the early 1970s with the French watchmaker Finhor. The company was eventually purchased by Matra and by the mid-1980s, Richard was the man in charge. He gained valuable experience in these years and left Matra, which eventually became Seiko, to develop luxury watches for jewelry maker Mauboussin.

In 1999 he started his own company and released his first watch, the RM 001, in 2001. The following edition, the RM 002, was the base model in 2002.

What Makes Richard Mille Watches So Valuable?

Richard Mille prices range anywhere from $50,000 to several million dollars for one watch. Even on the low-end of the spectrum, this is an expensive watch brand. So, what is it about these watches that makes them so valuable? I would venture that it is a combination of design, quality and the high demand of his creations.

DESIGN

Easily identified by their striking design that was inspired by automobiles, the smooth inner components of each watch are on display.Many of his watches are tonneau shaped and come with a special power reserve system. Richard Mille strays from the typical gold and diamond luxury watches to incorporate innovative materials, such as quartz fibers and carbon composites.

QUALITY

Over four decades of experience, a passion to create wonder for his customers and fine attention to detail have paved the road for these futuristic and reliable timepieces. Athletes can be assured that their watches will endure whatever abuse may come their way during events

DEMAND

With less than 5000 watches made annually, many of which are extremely limited edition, it is no wonder that the Richard Mille price is so high. Many of the designs sell out quickly and fetch high bids at auction. The resale value continues to rise each year.The Richard Mille Advantage

QUALITY COMPONENTS

Most watches are equipped with a tourbillon, which is a system that was developed hundreds of years ago to improve accuracy in timepieces but is rarely used today. These exclusive watches pay homage to their roots by featuring the tourbillon. His watches are also notoriously lightweight, some weighing less than a credit card.

NOTABLE CREATIONS

Every watch created by Richard Mille is a masterpiece, but there are some that deserve extra recognition. The RM 008 is considered world due to the combination of the tourbillon, winding mechanism, torque indicator, power reserve, and chronograph split seconds. The RM 056 is entirely transparent due to the sapphire crystal casing it is made with. It won 2012. Priced at over two million dollars,56–02 Tourbillon Sapphire is a thing of beauty. Only ten of these watches were created, making it a limited edition in high demand and yes this is all you need.

ENDORSEMENTS

Richard Mille sponsors several sporting events, including Le Mans Classic, and the Grand Prix Formula 1 races which inspired his RM 011 watch design. His love of Formula 1 cars is also apparent by the number of drivers who wear his watches. He developed three special-edition watch for Felipe Massa, a Brazilian Formula One driver. Mille’s love of sports isn’t limited to car racing. He sponsors other athletes as well. A Spanish tennis player, Rafael Nadal, borrowed a Mille watch from the maker only to have it stolen from his hotel room after the 2012 French Open.

Mille also customized a watch in Jamaica’s national colors for Yohan Blake to wear in the 2012 Olympics. Diana Luna, a professional golfer, and ambassador for Mille wear the RM 007 even while playing golf. A keen eye can spot these luxury watches on celebrities like a movie star and martial artist Jackie Chan, actress Natalie Portman, and singer Pharrell Williams.

Politicians like Prawit Wongsuwan, the Deputy Prime Minister of Thailand and Najib Razak, the former Prime minister of Malaysia have also been seen wearing these million dollar timepieces.